GM1 MED.D.020 Training courses in aviation medicine

ED Decision 2019/002/R

BASIC TRAINING COURSE

(a)     Basic training course in aviation medicine                                          60 hours

(1)     Introduction to aviation medicine                                            2 hours

(i)      History of aviation medicine

(ii)     Specific aspects of civil aviation medicine

(iii)     Different types of recreational flying

(iv)     AME and pilots relationship

(v)      Responsibility of the AME in aviation safety

(vi)     Communication and interview techniques

(2)      Basic aeronautical knowledge                                                  2 hours

(i)       Flight mechanisms

(ii)      Man-machine interface, informational processing

(iii)     Propulsion

(iv)     Conventional instruments, ‘glass cockpit’

(v)      Recreational flying

(vi)     Simulator/aircraft experience

(3)     Aviation physiology                                                                 9 hours

(i)      Atmosphere

(A)     Functional limits for humans in flight

(B)     Divisions of the atmosphere

(C)     Gas laws — physiological significance

(D)     Physiological effects of decompression

(ii)     Respiration 

(A)     Blood gas exchange

(B)     Oxygen saturation

(iii)     Hypoxia signs and symptoms   

(A)     Average time of useful consciousness (TUC)

(B)     Hyperventilation signs and symptoms

(C)     Barotrauma

(D)     Decompression sickness

(iv)     Acceleration

(A)     G-Vector orientation

(B)     Effects and limits of G-load

(C)     Methods to increase Gz-tolerance

(D)     Positive/negative acceleration

(E)     Acceleration and the vestibular system

(v)      Visual disorientation

(A)     Sloping cloud deck

(B)     Ground lights and stars confusion

(C)     Visual autokinesis

(vi)     Vestibular disorientation

(A)     Anatomy of the inner ear

(B)     Function of the semicircular canals

(C)     Function of the otolith organs

(D)     The oculogyral and coriolis illusion

(E)     ‘Leans’

(F)      Forward acceleration illusion of ‘nose up’

(G)     Deceleration illusion of ‘nose down’

(H)     Motion sickness — causes and management

(vii)    Noise and vibration

(A)     Preventive measures

(4)      Cardiovascular system                                 3 hours

(i)       Relation to aviation; risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Examination procedures: ECG, laboratory testing and other special examinations

(iii)     Cardiovascular diseases:

(A)     Hypertension, treatment and assessment

(B)     Ischaemic heart disease

(C)     ECG findings

(D)     Assessment of satisfactory recovery from myocardial infarction, interventional procedures and surgery

(E)     Cardiomyopathies; pericarditis; rheumatic heart disease; valvular diseases

(F)      Rhythm and conduction disturbances, treatment and assessment

(G)     Congenital heart disease: surgical treatment, assessment

(H)     Cardiovascular syncope: single and repeated episodes

Topics (5) to (11) inclusive, and (17)                                                   10 hours

(5)      Respiratory system

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Examination procedures: spirometry, peak flow, x-ray, other examinations

(iii)     Pulmonary diseases: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

(iv)     Infections, tuberculosis

(v)      Bullae, pneumothorax

(vi)     Obstructive sleep apnoea

(vii)    Treatment and assessment

(6)      Digestive system

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Examination of the system

(iii)     Gastro-intestinal disorders: gastritis, ulcer disease

(iv)     Biliary tract disorders

(v)      Hepatitis and pancreatitis

(vi)     Inflammatory bowel disease, irritable colon/irritable bowel disease

(vii)    Herniae

(viii)   Treatment and assessment including post-abdominal surgery

(7)      Metabolic and endocrine systems

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Endocrine disorders

(iii)     Diabetes mellitus Type 1 & 2

(A)     Diagnostic tests and criteria

(B)     Anti-diabetic therapy

(C)     Operational aspects in aviation

(D)     Satisfactory control criteria for aviation

(iv)     Hyper/hypothyroidism

(v)      Pituitary and adrenal glands disorders

(vi)     Treatment and assessment

(8)      Haematology

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Blood donation aspects

(iii)     Erythrocytosis; anaemia; leukaemia; lymphoma

(iv)     Sickle cell disorders

(v)      Platelet disorders

(vi)     Haemoglobinopathies; geographical distribution; classification

(vii)    Treatment and assessment

(9)      Genitourinary system

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Action to be taken after discovery of abnormalities in routine dipstick urinalysis, e.g. haematuria; albuminuria

(iii)     Urinary system disorders:

(A)     Nephritis; pyelonephritis; obstructive uropathies

(B)     Tuberculosis

(C)     Lithiasis: single episode; recurrence

(D)     Nephrectomy, transplantation, other treatment and assessment

(10)    Obstetrics and gynaecology

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Pregnancy and aviation

(iii)     Disorders, treatment and assessment

(11)    Musculoskeletal system

(i)       Vertebral column diseases

(ii)      Arthropathies and arthroprosthesis

(iii)     Pilots with a physical impairment

(iv)     Treatment of musculoskeletal system, assessment for flying

(12)    Psychiatry                                                                               2 hours

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Psychiatric examination

(iii)     Psychiatric disorders: neurosis; personality disorders; psychosis; organic mental illness

(iv)     Alcohol and other psychoactive substance(s) use

(v)      Treatment, rehabilitation and assessment

(13)    Psychology                                                                              2 hours

(i)       Introduction to psychology in aviation as a supplement to psychiatric assessment

(ii)      Methods of psychological examination

(iii)     Behaviour and personality

(iv)     Workload management and situational awareness

(v)      Flight motivation and suitability

(vi)     Group social factors

(vii)    Psychological stress, stress coping, fatigue

(viii)   Psychomotor functions and age

(ix)     Mental fitness and training

(14)    Neurology                                                                               3 hours

(i)       Relation to aviation, risk of incapacitation

(ii)      Examination procedures

(iii)     Neurological disorders

(A)     Seizures — assessment of single episode

(B)     Epilepsy

(C)     Multiple sclerosis

(D)     Head trauma

(E)     Post-traumatic states

(F)     Vascular diseases

(G)     Tumours

(H)     Disturbance of consciousness — assessment of single and repeated episodes

(iv)     Degenerative diseases

(v)      Sleep disorders

(vi)     Treatment and assessment

(15)    Visual system and colour vision                                                4 hours

(i)      Anatomy of the eye

(ii)     Relation to aviation duties

(iii)     Examination techniques

(A)     Visual acuity assessment

(B)     Visual aids

(C)     Visual fields — acceptable limits for certification

(D)     Ocular muscle balance

(E)     Assessment of pathological eye conditions

(F)     Glaucoma

(iv)     Monocularity and medical flight tests

(v)      Colour vision

(vi)     Methods of testing: pseudoisochromatic plates, lantern tests, anomaloscopy

(vii)    Importance of standardisation of tests and of test protocols

(viii)   Assessment after eye surgery

(16)    Otorhinolaryngology                                                                3 hours

(i)      Anatomy of the systems

(ii)     Clinical examination in ORL

(iii)     Functional hearing tests

(iv)     Vestibular system; vertigo, examination techniques

(v)      Assessment after ENT surgery

(vi)     Barotrauma ears and sinuses

(vii)    Aeronautical ENT pathology

(viii)   ENT requirements

(17)    Oncology

(i)      Relation to aviation, risk of metastasis and incapacitation         

(ii)     Risk management 

(iii)     Different methods of treatment and assessment

(18)    Incidents and accidents, escape and survival                             1 hour

(i)       Accident statistics

(ii)      Injuries

(iii)     Aviation pathology, post-mortem examination, identification

(iv)     Aircraft evacuation

(A)     Fire

(B)     Ditching

(C)     By parachute

(19)    Medication and flying                                                              2 hours

(i)       Hazards of medications

(ii)      Common side effects; prescription medications; over-the-counter medications; herbal medications; ‘alternative’ therapies

(iii)     Medication for sleep disturbance

(20)    Legislation, rules and regulations                                             4 hours

(i)      ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, European provisions (e.g. Implementing Rules, AMC and GM)

(ii)     Incapacitation: acceptable aero-medical risk of incapacitation; types of incapacitation; operational aspects

(iii)     Basic principles in assessment of fitness for aviation

(iv)     Operational and environmental conditions

(v)      Use of medical literature in assessing medical fitness; differences between scientific study populations and licensed populations

(vi)     Flexibility

(vii)    Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention, paragraph 1.2.4.9

(viii)   Accredited Medical Conclusion; consideration of knowledge, skill and experience

(ix)     Trained versus untrained crews; incapacitation training

(x)      Medical flight tests

(21)    Cabin crew working environment                                             1 hour

(i)      Cabin environment, workload, duty and rest time, fatigue risk management

(ii)     Cabin crew safety duties and associated training

(iii)     Types of aircraft and types of operations

(iv)     Single-cabin crew and multi-cabin crew operations

(22)    In-flight environment                                                               1 hour

(i)       Hygiene aboard aircraft: water supply, oxygen supply, disposal of waste, cleaning, disinfection and disinsection

(ii)      Catering

(iii)     Crew nutrition

(iv)     Aircraft and transmission of diseases

(23)    Space medicine                                                                       1 hour

(i)       Microgravity and metabolism, life sciences

(24)    Practical demonstrations of basic aeronautical knowledge        8 hours

(25)    Concluding items                                                                     2 hours

(i)      Final examination

(ii)     De-briefing and critique